CRICKET: EP's Lucy gets a Sussex CCC Academy call

EAST PRESTON'S Lucy Uncles' dream is to play cricket for England Ladies team in the future after being selected in this year's Sussex CCC Academy.

Uncles, 17, who also plays basketball and stoolball, was delighted to be named in the Academy and said: "I'm very happy. I had trials last year but I focused more on basketball then, so didn't have time to be part of the Academy.

"Now, I've decided to concentrate on cricket. It was never a certainty that I was going to get into the Academy this year, either, as you don't know how good the rest of the people are, but I'm glad to have got in."

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In the Academy, right-handed batswoman and medium-pace bowler Uncles, who studies A Level PE and psychology and BTEC sport and exercise science at Worthing College, and hopes to study sports coaching at university, will have her own psychological, weight and fitness coach.

She has played for the Sussex Ladies cricket team for the last three years and last year secured the No 7 batting position. She also captained Sussex Under-17s to the national finals and to second place in the regional Rubies Super 4s competition.

On how she got into cricket, Uncles said: "At primary school, they had to have a girl in the kwik-cricket team and, as I'm quite sporty, I was chosen.

"I've now been playing for about six years for East Preston and now Brighton & Hove, and my aim is to play for England."

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On her basketball future, she said: "I got to the last 18 for the England squad last year but I need to work on my cricket now, so will just play basketball for fitness."

Also named in this year's Sussex Academy were Owain Jones, John Glover and Hannah Phelps.

Jack Parsons, Adam Davies and Devon Endersby all retain their place for the 2010 season, while Luke Wells and Matt Machan have progressed from last year's Academy to earn Summer and Junior Pro contracts respectively.

Sussex Cricket Performance manager Keith Greenfield said: "After three months of trials, we are now in a position to announce the Academy for 2010.

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"It's exciting to have a new bunch of players and they will bring an energetic boost to the Academy and its programme.

"We are of course pleased to continue the development of the three players that have been retained. And we are delighted that Machan and Wells have been rewarded with contracts and this surely will give encouragement and an additional incentive to the latest crop."

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